2013 - 2014: September 2013

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Living the “High” Life ...

was the name of the “game” for early September. First of all my hiking group headed for Squaw Valley (home of the 1960 Olympic Games), rode the tram up the “hill” from 6200’ to 8200’ (better than hiking up) and then headed off on foot over Squaw Valley Saddle as we passed by Emigrant Peak. Then it was down the other side, to pick up the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and up to Granite Chief for a 360 degree view at 9050’. We did a lot of huffin and puffin as we climbed the last half-mile up a sandy 18.9% grade!!!

The next Tuesday our hike started at Mt Rose Summit (8890’) in Nevada at the northeast end of Lake Tahoe. This was a beautiful, easy trail with stunning views of the area. We only climbed a little over 500’ to reach our highest point of this summer’s hikes at 9400’. And a beautiful waterfall refreshed us after about 2.5 miles and we enjoyed lunch at a small lake at the base of Relay Peak 10,330‘ (maybe next year).

After all this, my two brothers (Roy and Glen) and their wives, Anna & Ginny, met Don and I at Lake Tahoe (elevation 6200’) at the cottage we rented on the shores of Lake Tahoe - Kings Beach for our annual “Sibs Reunion”. We just had to step off the deck onto the beach for either a swim or a walk with sand between the toes... We had a fun 3 days exchanging stories, eating, catching up on the activities of nieces, (eating) nephews (eating) and grandchildren (eating), before we had to head up over Donner Summit 7239’ and coast down I-80 to our respective homes, Colfax, San Jose and Santa Cruz!!!

Fall is in the air, and AZ is in the wind. We leave Colfax on Oct 9th and I'll catch up on the rest of September before we hook up the 5th wheel and head south.

On the tram as we pass by some great rocks

Looking back down the hill about mid-way

Then looking ahead...

Heading Up towards Emigrant Peak

Checking out our destination...Granite Chief (dead center)
before we head down...to only head up...

Climbing...

still climbing...

There it is 9050'

Before it's covered with people...

Michael, Margie Julie, Marilyn, Audrey,
Peggy, Ione and Nancy B

and Nancy (me)...

Enjoying the Southern view before leaving Granite Chief

The view from Squaw Village as the
sun glistens on the tram cables...

The next weeks hike...
Tamarak Peak Loop - Mt Rose Summit area

Mt Rose, across the meadow...

Lunch spot...with a distant view of Relay Peak

Heading back... the trailhead started at 8890'
(thats Hwy 431 Mt Rose Highway between Tahoe and Reno.

The next adventure...
Don checks for e-mail from the the deck at Lake Tahoe

Cottage on the beach...Kings Beach

Now thats a room with a view... Don & Roy on Deck

Nancy, Ginny, Glen, Anna & Roy

No sand between those "toes"
Glen, Don and Roy

Only one of many beautiful
Lake Tahoe sunsets....

Sunday, September 1, 2013

California "Cooking" as Wildfires Rage...

The month started out with 10 days of cool weather in the low to mid-80’s for the high, unheard of in this part of California, so that lead to more hiking, pickleball, and picnics along with cleaning out the 2 sheds and staining the rear deck. My royalty checks from DVD’s on weaving arrived and I purchased some new garden art...

Youngest Grandson Kenny turned 10, Grandson Max 22 got a summer job on a shrimp boat “Early Times”, and was pleased when a large squid got trapped in a shrimp pot. Miss Megan (AK) enjoyed her final days in North Carolina with fiancé Jaron (a marine who recently returned safely from Afghanistan).

THEN, many Wildfires blanketed the State of California... The American wildfire filled our area near Colfax, with smoke for 20 days and was located about 10 mile EAST of us, as the crow flies. We were not in it’s path. It is now contained after burning about 27,740 acres in very steep and difficult canyon terrain. It was small compared to the Rim Fire near Pine Mountain Lake in Groveland/Yosemite area. This massive wildfire burns day and night and both of my brothers and my nephew have vacation homes in the immediate area... Fire is getting too close for comfort but as of this writing 8/31/13 they are all out of danger. The fire has burnt over 227,000 acres (356 sq miles) and sends tons of smoke clear up to the high sierra’s near Lake Tahoe, where we are trying to hike each Tuesday - smoke permitting. Lake Tahoe is over 100 air miles from the fire. http://inciweb.org/incident/3660/ As of today it is the 4th largest wildfire EVER, in the State of CA.

I played in a small pickleball tournament against another team in the Sacramento area. It was a slightly breezy, beautifully cool day for Sacramento...only about 80, better than the 103 degrees a week ago. My partner Vickie and I won 2 out of 3 of our ladies games and Tony and I won our mixed doubles game 15-11.

There was even time for weaving for our Art Show in AZ...and our annual hikers “Gourmet Picnic” wrapped up the month in style as we enjoyed the culinary talents of each other on the shores Lake Valley Reservoir about 35 miles northeast of Colfax.